“I feel bad for Alex,’’ Strawberry said yesterday. “He is one of the greatest players to play the game. I hate to see him struggling like that.’’

Rodriguez’s postseason has been a nightmare. He has been pinch-hit for in three games, was benched in the Game 5 clincher of the ALDS and is 1-for-6 against the Tigers in the first two games of the ALCS.

“He has to remember what he is going through isn’t that bad and that he is a great baseball player,’’ Strawberry said.

While that may be hard to believe with the way Rodriguez has struggled, facing Justin Verlander might be good for him. He is 8-for-24 (.333) lifetime against the hard-throwing right-hander.

***

Yankees bench coach Tony Pena took advantage of a day off in between ALCS games to talk to the Red Sox about their managerial opening.

Pena, 55, interviewed for the Yankees managing job that went to Joe Girardi following the 2007 season. Pena, who was on Joe Torre’s staff, remained as Girardi’s bench coach.

Pena managed the Royals from 2002 to 2005 when Allard Baird was Kansas City’s general manager. Baird is now Boston’s VP of player personnel.

Should Pena land the job, Girardi could fill the bench coach vacancy with Gary Tuck, who was Girardi’s bench coach with the Marlins and has done two stints as a coach with the Yankees.

Tuck was the Red Sox bullpen coach this past season, and the club is not expected to pick up his contract option.

***

Girardi has said it would be unfair to start Brett Gardner against Verlander because the outfielder has had just three at-bats since April after missing most of the season with a elbow injury.

However, with Curtis Granderson and Nick Swisher ice-cold and chasing pitches out of the strike zone and Gardner 3-for-8 lifetime against Verlander, Girardi might rethink it.

Girardi might try to find a way to get Eric Chavez in the lineup — either at third base or as the designated hitter — because he is 8-for-22 (.364) in his career against Verlander.

Raul Ibanez, the Yankees’ best clutch hitter in the postseason, is 3-for-29 (.103) against Verlander and Mark Teixeira also struggles (3-for-31, .097).

***

Tigers manager Jim Leyland said he is not sure who his closer will be tonight. After Jose Valverde’s four-run meltdown in Game 1, Leyland used lefty Phil Coke to finish Game 2. Coke fired two scoreless innings, allowing just one hit.

“I am just going to play it out and see what happens, see what kind of match”‘up there is,” Leyland said. “Like I said [Sunday], I still consider Valverde the closer. It’s just a matter of have a conversation and see how he is feeling and see what the pitching coach thinks. We obviously are going to need him. We will wait and see how the game plays out and go from there.”

Leyland added, “I am hoping that Valverde in the very near future is ready to take back over. As I said, that is pretty important that we have him.”